Still Your Song
by Essessency
Summary: "If you love someone then set them free; if they return it was always yours to keep." Never were these words truer. Because even though I let her go, she came back. She was always mine to keep. And I was always hers. Auslly Oneshot Austin's P.O.V.


"_I'm sorry …" Her eyes were their usual soft, brown color. The color of hot chocolate on a cold winter day. They also showed sympathy, compassion, and love. The love of a best friend, but she meant more to me than that. She was everything I have ever wanted, all I've ever needed. But now our time together was coming to an end. Team Austin & Ally was broken. _

_It wasn't her fault, and I knew that. MUNY was an amazing opportunity. A once in a lifetime opportunity. And once in a lifetime means there is no second chance. I have seen High School Musical enough times to figure that out. But hey, if Dez can watch sappy romance movies, then a little High School Musical wouldn't hurt. _

_But she deserved this opportunity, more than any of us. She may have stage fright but I love her way too much to keep her in the shadows any longer. Music is important to me, but I still care for Ally more than anything. I didn't want her to go. It's going to break my heart to see her leave, and it's already breaking my heart now. But as they say, "If you love someone set them free; if they return it was always yours to keep …" _

_I kept repeating that phrase in my head the morning she was leaving. She and Trish had exchanged hugs and tears as well as her and Dez. We were in the airport, right beside the gate so she wouldn't have to rush on. She was saying goodbye to her dad right now. I felt tears well in my eyes and a lump in my throat. I never thought it would be this hard to say goodbye. _

_I closed my eyes letting one tear escape. I felt her poke me on the shoulder. So I turned around. Suddenly crying didn't feel so shameful anymore. Because her porcelain cheeks were tinted read and stained with the same tears. Not a single second had passed when she urgently wrapped her arms around me for dear life, shaking with gentle sobs. I returned the hug, burying my face in her shoulder and letting my tears out. _

"_I'm sorry…" Her eyes were their usual soft, brown color. The color of hot chocolate on a cold winter day. They also showed sympathy, compassion, and love. "I hope you know that I don't want to leave you, Austin." _

_I swallowed and sighed. "I know, Ally. I'm just really going to miss you. I know your only going to be in New York, but you've just been a huge part in my life since you decided to be my partner. Its just hard to let you go." _

_She smiled. "I'll be back for Thanksgiving Break and Christmas, also I will video chat with you and I can send you your songs via e-mail."_

_I chuckled at her optimism. That was always one of her best qualities. "Thanks Ally, your awesome." _

"_Flight 245 to New York now boarding."_

_I can tell she was on the brink of tears again as she wrapped me in another hug and I kissed her cheek. "Goodbye Ally, I l-," I composed myself. "I'll miss you."_

_She nodded, still crying. Then with one final breath she turned around and headed through the gates. I could still remember the breaking of my heart that day. It left permanent damage. _

**Called you up ten years too late  
Just to hear your voice again  
I know your voice is still the same  
I know that something's changed**

It has been ten years. And for everyday for ten years I could not stop thinking about her. I had moved to California two months after she left. My album sold platinum cover and Jimmy Starr brought me to L.A. to get me a fresh new start. By eighteen I was on the cover of billboards and posters everywhere. I was also working with professional songwriters, which got me even farther in the music business. You would think after all this fame that I would've forgotten about my old friends and where my whole career was started. I didn't talk about it much, but I still thought of them everyday. I still thought of her.

I knew I should just give up. I'm twenty-six now, she should just be a distant memory. She should just be that old silly crush I had when I was a teenager. But she was more than that. She was always more than that. Of course she has long gone forgotten about me. I wonder how she felt when she found out. I lost contact with her since I had saw her last at the airport. I felt extremely bad that I cut her out of my life but I figured it would hurt her more.

So when I was in New York to play a concert that evening, I went to a small diner hoping to clear my mind. I was wearing a black hat and sunglasses, hoping paparazzi wouldn't recognize me. I had ordered a bowl of hot soup and sat down in the corner of the room. Sipping my hot soup quietly, I pulled out the current song I was working on. Its true that I still couldn't write a song, but the lyrics and the melody all fit so perfectly. I didn't know what hypnotized me to write it but-

"Hey stranger …"

I looked up, immediately recognizing the voice. The voice that haunted me, it hadn't changed but yet it had. It seemed more depressed. She was beautiful, as beautiful as ever. Her features were more defined and her hair was extremely long and wavy.

"A-Ally?" I could hardly speak. I knew it was her, I just couldn't believe she was here. I took off my sunglasses and being risky I took off my hat.

She nodded and I immediately jumped out of my seat and hugged her with all that I am. " Oh Ally, it's so good to see you! How have you been?"

She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "I've been okay. I finished music school and decided to stay here with my b-, I mean well obviously life has been good to you."

"Yeah …" I said wondering what she was referring to earlier.

"Um well I just thought I would say hi, I should get going," With that she grabbed her purse and started walking away. But I wasn't going to let her. I wasn't going to let her walk out of my life again.

**My words are choked and ****full**** of tears  
But still you listen to me dear  
And someone's calling you away  
And now I understand**

"Wait Ally!" I grabbed her hand and she turned around cringing at my touch. Had I really hurt her that bad? "Please Ally, just tell me what I did wrong."

Her eyes softened for second but then turned away. "You abandoned me, Austin. You said that you would always be there and I was going through a hell of a lot when I came back from New York. And I left the school, knowing I could never come back. But I left because I wanted to be with you. So it hurt me more than you could know when I came back and you weren't there." She was full on sobbing now, trying to speak. "And even worse, you cut off contact with me when I really needed you. Sure I had Trish and Dez but … I needed you … I loved you."

Tears cascaded down my face. I wanted to fall on my knees and beg her forgiveness. "P-please Ally, I never meant to leave you. Or replace you with new songwriters. I just didn't want to hurt you…"

"I'm sorry but it's a little too late," She wiped away her tears. "It was in the past, I have a new life now."

"Please, just stay for my concert tonight, I need you there." My head pounded as hard as my heart.

"I don't know …" I with that she walked away. And this time I let her go.

**The time that I've wasted  
So bitter and faithless  
Was wearing me down now, down now**

So can you hear me, or would you sing along?  
Or turn me down? Forget I ever wrote this for you.  
So can you hear me, or has it been too long?  
Admit I was wrong, and this is still your song.

Now I had finished the song, my first ever song. But I couldn't stop thinking about my encounter with Ally. I had really messed up, and I knew I needed to fix this.

**Turn it on and off again  
And now I lost another friend  
I waded through my darkest thoughts  
When I was sure to drown**

She was my best friend. We were a team, a partnership, and best friends. I knew I would always be there for her. She was with me through it all, and I wanted to make sure I was there with her as well. But I failed. I should've stayed. Who cares about fame and riches when I had Ally? I was too blind. I need her. Life without her is not a life worth living.

**And now I pass you on my way  
And if you stop, what could I say?  
Apologizes for yesterday  
Like a fool I walk away**

What if I saw her again? I don't want to be that stranger to her or to anyone. So without a second thought, I called Dez.

"Hey Austin! How is it going?"

I laughed. Same old Dez. "Hey Dez, look I'm sorry for leaving you guys. I just ran into Ally and I didn't know she was-,"

"Do you even know what happened?" Dez's voice took on a serious tone.

"No …"

I could hear Dez sigh. "She lost everything important to her. While she was at New York, her dad had a heart attack and collapsed and since no one was there he died,"

My breath hitched in my throat but I continued listening to Dez. "Go on,"

"After he died, Sonic Boom went out of business and Ally knew she needed to come home. She knew that she would lose her scholarship if she left, but she thought it was more important to see you. She came back because she wanted to be with you. But when she came back you were gone forever. She was heartbroken and broke. She had no school to go to, no family, and no house. She had to stay with Trish."

I swore that my heart was broken in two pieces. I should've been there with her. "So how is she now?"

"As far as I know she's living with her brother in New York."

"Her brother? I thought she was an only child?"

"Its her half brother, she's never met him before her dad's funeral. But she has nowhere else to stay."

I was too shocked for words. How can so much change in ten years? "What am I going to do?"

"You want to be with her don't you?"

"More than anything," I answered right away. "But she won't believe me,"

"Then make her believe, Austin. Give her a reason to."

Perfect.

About four hours later, I was on stage. Just finishing "A Billion Hits" I could feel the crowd cheering and my heart racing. But the onstage adrenaline left as I scanned the crowd and didn't see whom I longed to see for so long. But the show must go on.

Once the cheering died down I spoke. "Okay guys I have one last song to play for you. Its actually one I've written myself and it may not be the best but it still comes from a place of caring. I wrote it for Ally Dawson, my once partner, best friend, and true love..."

I could hear the gasps echo through the stadium but I knew I had to do this. "Ally if you're out there, I just want you to know that I will never forgive myself for hurting you. I really care about you, I always have and always will." My voice began to sound watery so I began to play the song.

******  
****Called you up ten years too late  
Just to hear your voice again  
I know your voice is still the same  
I know that something's changed**

My words are choked and **full**** of tears  
But still you listen to me dear  
And someone's calling you away  
And now I understand**

The time that I've wasted  
So bitter and faithless  
Was wearing me down now, down now

So can you hear me, or would you sing along?  
Or turn me down? Forget I ever wrote this for you.  
So can you hear me, or has it been too long?  
Admit I was wrong, and this is still your song.

Turn it on and off again  
And now I lost another friend  
I waded through my darkest thoughts  
When I was sure to drown

And now I pass you on my way  
And if you stop, what could I say?  
Apologizes for yesterday  
Like a fool I walk away

The time that I've wasted  
So bitter and faithless  
Was wearing me down now, down now

So can you hear me, or would you sing along?  
Or turn me down? Forget I ever wrote this for you.  
So can you hear me, or has it been too long?  
Admit I was wrong, and this is still your song.

And all I understand  
We're here and gone again  
Even through a thousand sleepless nights

I fill the page with my beliefs  
It's all I have to keep  
Tear it up and **start**** again**

So can you hear me, or would you sing along?  
Or turn me down? Forget I ever wrote this for you.  
So can you hear me, or has it been too long?  
Admit I was wrong, and this is still your song.

I don't pretend to understand all the things I put you through  
And I don't need forgiveness, but I owe one thing to you  
This is your song  
This is your song

I finished the song, not even listening to the roaring cheers I've the crowd. She didn't show …

I walked around Central Park, looking at the moonlight shine off the water of the lake. It felt lonely. I didn't like it.

"Austin?"

I looked beside me and saw Ally, and it seemed perfect. I knew it was an illusion.

"Austin I heard your song," A tear rolled down her cheek. "And I forgive you … I'm sorry I was so tough on you. I didn't mean it,"

I realized it wasn't an illusion and scooped her up in my arms and started crying in her hair. "Ally I am so sorry! Sorry I left you and ignored you and replaced you! Ally … I love you …"

She pulled back and I leaned in capturing my lips with hers. It was so damn perfect. So needed.

"And I love you …" She squeaked out before pulling me back into another kiss.

"_If you love someone then set them free; if they return it was always yours to keep." _Never were these words truer. Because even though I let her go, she came back. She was always mine to keep. And I was always hers.

**Song is "Still You Song" by the Goo Goo Dolls. I encourage you all to listen to it; it's a great song. Sorry this is not my best work :/ **

**-Evelyn**


End file.
